A somewhat stocky, ashen-haired early-adolescent girl struggled to keep her breath, coughing on the ashes and smoke coming from what had been, minutes ago, her home and her village. She could still smell what had been, moments ago, her family and friends and neighbors, now blazing, smoldering corpses. Through the sweat, her coughing, her tears, and her weak legs, she cursed that boy with every last breath she had. Her cries fell to her own shaky breathlessness. Turning back at the massive plume of smoke for just a moment, she let out one last sob before running further into the deep forests surrounding Stormwind City. As much as she tried to get rid of it, she could still see that emotionless, uncaring look in his eyes.

In the following years, she wandered. Made deals with bandits for food. She grew accustomed to trading her loyalty, a blade, or her body for a place to sleep or food. She had no choice; she would die if she didn't do everything she could to keep herself fed and rested. The forest was harsh and filled with rabid animals and highwaymen at every turn, despite its lush, beautiful appearance. Her stocky body had been reshaped through her scarce amounts of food and her absurd amounts of exercise. She had been transformed from a budding priestess - a young woman of the light - into a common, petty thief. However, she managed. Slowly but surely, she made her way towards Goldshire. From what she had heard, she could survive there. It certainly was not a haven, but it was civilization and that was enough for her.

She saw the smoke from a blacksmith's shop first. She had been out in her makeshift leather armor, with her makeshift weapons and tools, trying to find something resembling food. Abandoning her objective, she sprinted, as fast she could, towards the ashen pillar. Moment by moment, more of the town was revealed to her eyes. The girl ran and ran until, at last, she was nearing the plaza. It was a dump. Absolutely atrocious. But it was a town, and to her it seemed as if her days of struggling and misery were over.

Was she in for a surprise...

That night, she walked into the inn. It was disgusting - the awful stench of booze and gunpowder filled every inch of space, and she couldn't seem to get away from the obnoxious sound of drunk patrons yelling or getting into fights. She made her way to a counter with two men behind it. One had a stack of parchment in front of him, the other was accompanied by several kegs of what she had assumed was booze. An innkeep and a barkeep. Simple enough. She strolled up, smiling awkwardly. "I need a room." She said in a very matter-of-fact tone.

The man raised an eyebrow. The barkeep chuckled, washing a dirty glass with a damp rag and slowly shaking his head. "That so?" The innkeeper said, "Ten silver a night, girlie." The young woman's attention was, however, elsewhere. Two people sitting at the bar had caught her eye. A human woman, older than her but very similar-looking, and a tall, handsome elven male who were both wearing the same tabard were looking at her oddly and exchanging whispers. She stared back at them, a stupid, blank expression on her face, for several minutes. Eventually, the impatient innkeeper slammed the counter he stood behind. The girl's attention snapped back to him, "I-I, uh... Ten silver. I-I..."

"No beggars. Get out."

The black-haired girl stood awkwardly for a moment, frowning, before spinning on her heel and sulkenly wobbling out of the inn. Her attention turned back to the similar-looking woman and her handsome elven accompaniment. Their tabard was odd; as if a target was painted on their chests and back. Putting it out of her mind and trying to focus on survival, she shook her head and picked up her speed, striding out of the inn and into town.

She wandered behind the inn, looking for a decent place to set up a small camp until she could find a way to scrounge up enough silver for a place to stay. Eventually, she came upon a lake, and wearily decided that it was good enough. She set up a fire and laid back in the grass the same way she had grown so accustomed to. Suddenly, she heard a noise. And another. And more - footsteps? She couldn't tell, it was late and she was exhausted. More than one person if it was a humanoid, but honestly she hoped deep down that it was a harmless critter. She did not want to deal with more bandits. She wanted those days to be over with.

The girl's breathing quickened as the footsteps, now more distinguished, got closer. Please don't be robbers... Please don't be robbers... She begged her mind silently, watching the direction where they were coming from.

Two figures came into view slowly. A tall man and a shorter woman... The same two from the bar. As the other black-haired individual stepped forward, she regarded the young girl with disgust. But there was something else beneath it... she couldn't tell. The woman, probably five or six years older than her, offered her a hand. "Oy. You look like you could use some help. Saw how yer negotiatin' with the innkeep went."

The handsome elf was silent. But was he a looker... long, smooth royal blue hair accompanied by a rough beard. His eyes pierced like blades. Trying not to giggle like the sheltered priestess girl she used to be, she kept a composed expression and took the woman's hand. "Th-thank you. Who are you?"

"Name's Blaeyn. This is Teremith." The woman nodded towards the elf, arms crossed. "I run an organization 'round here that could give ya some help, if ya'd fancy."

"Organization...?"

"We're called the Fifth Creed. You lend us your blade hand, we give you food, shelter, and community."

Blaeyn, as the woman called herself, took the very same hand she had helped the girl up with, pulled it back, and aimed a punch right for the unsuspecting teenager's nose. She collapsed, dazed and confused. "Wh... What'd..." She could see the woman's face more clearly looking down at her... that disgusted look... covering up... empathy?

Smacking the girl again, Blaeyn dragged her along. Slowly, the adolescent lost consciousness...

(( I'll add more as I come across time to do so. I miss you guys. Hope everything is going well. <3 ))